Tamil Nadu Public Department Attacked By Ransomware, Suspect Demands 1,950 USD In Cryptocurrency

Experts from the Centre for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC) and computer emergency response team are working on to retrieve the encrypted documents. 

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Chennai: Tamil Nadu Public Department’s sensitive documents were said to be encrypted by a ransomware attack since Friday morning, according to a report. The suspect has demanded a payment of 1,950 USD in cryptocurrency as ransom for providing the decryption code. 

Quoting sources, a report in the Hindu said that some of the public department’s files that were encrypted, are related to VIP visits and related arrangements made by the state protocol officials. 

According to the report, the sources said that the suspect had demanded 1,950 USD in cryptocurrency as ransom even as the experts from the Centre for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC) and computer emergency response team are working on to retrieve the encrypted documents. 

Shortly after the attack, experts from C-DAC inspected the computers that displayed the message demanding ransom from the suspect, the sources said as per the report. 

Quoting cyber security experts, the report said that eight of the 12 desktop computers that were used in a particular section of the department, were found to be operating on the Windows-7 operating system which was an outdated platform. As the outdated platform received no support from Microsoft, the computers had no software updates and anti-virus mechanism to prevent cyber attacks, the report added. 

Meanwhile, quoting officials from the Tamil Nadu police who also inspected the computers, the report said that no compromise was made on the matters that could affect the functions of the government. 

The official, according to the report, said that they would be lodging a formal complaint with the police department soon.